Dragons Player in the Major Leagues # 55: Denis Phipps

What player has scored the most runs in a Dayton Dragons uniform? 

Most Minor League players are not particularly fond of the idea of breaking career records for any club below the Major League level, but over the Dragons history, some of the players who played in Dayton for multiple seasons went on to achieve success with the Reds.  Reds star first baseman Joey Votto played in 176 games for the Dragons, spending large parts of two seasons here.  Zack Cozart played in 162 games for the Dragons over two seasons.  Randy Ruiz played in 201 games for the Dayton club and has played in the Major Leagues for both the Twins and Blue Jays.  Todd Coffey pitched in 77 games for the Dragons, second most in team history, and he has enjoyed a long big league career.

The Dragons career record holder for most runs scored is outfielder Denis Phipps, who spent two full seasons in Dayton and then went on to become the 55th Dragons player in the Major Leagues.  Phipps played in 249 games in a Dayton uniform in 2007 and '08, second most in Dragons history.  He scored 122 runs, 12 more than the number two man on the list.

Phipps had been known as a basketball player as an amateur in the Dominican Republic before signing as a free agent with the Reds in 2004.  His climb to the Major League lasted nine years before he was called up in September of 2012.

In 2007, Phipps shared what would one day become an all-big league outfield at Fifth Third Field with Drew Stubbs and Chris Heisey, playing in 125 games with the Dragons.  He showed the athleticism and tools to generate optimism, though his baseball skills had not yet become consistent.  He hit .238 with nine home runs and 53 runs batted in. He also stole 18 bases and showed one of the strongest throwing arms in the Reds organization, playing right field and primarily hitting fifth for a Dragons team that went to the playoffs.  The top six hitters in the batting order that season all went to the big leagues.  The most common lineup began with Stubbs, followed by Justin Turner, Chris Valaika, Juan Francisco, Phipps, and Heisey.  Phipps' best game that season came July 13 at Fifth Third Field against Clinton when he belted a grand slam home run and drove in five runs.  Heisey also homered that day in a big Dragons win.

Phipps returned to the Dragons for a second season in 2008 and again served as the team's everyday right fielder.  He played in the Midwest League All-Star Game and finished the year at .255 with seven home runs and 57 RBI.  Phipps was at his best during the Dragons playoff run, batting .333 over the last 12 games with five multi-hit games as Dayton qualified for the post-season for the second straight year. 

Phipps' career with the Dragons left him second on the team's all-time list in games, at-bats, and hits; third in total bases and runs batted in; and first in runs scored.

Phipps' career saw some peaks and valleys over the next two seasons before he produced a monster-year in 2011 that put him on course for the Major Leagues.  He began the 2011 season at Double-A Carolina and hit .328 over 81 games to earn his first experience in Triple-A with Louisville.  With the Bats, Phipps really took off, batting .380 in 40 games.  Overall for the year, his combined numbers for the two teams included a batting average of .346 with 12 home runs and 64 RBI.  He was selected as the Reds Minor League Batter of the Year and was the Reds Minor League Player of the Month for both June and July.  He was picked to play in the Southern League All-Star Game with Carolina and was named by Baseball America as the league's outfielder with the best arm.  For the first time, Phipps was promoted to the Reds' 40-man roster and spent spring training, 2012, with the big club.

Phipps went back to Louisville to start the regular season in 2012.  He endured a dreadful first half when he missed over a month with a shoulder injury and simply could not put together anything at the plate.  At the season's mid-point, he was batting .157.  He rebounded strongly in the second half, batting .285 with 10 home runs to salvage his year.  He finished the season with 17 home runs to rank fifth among all Reds Minor Leagues, though the first half struggles left his final batting average at .221.

When rosters expanded on September 1, the Reds called Phipps to the big leagues.  He made his debut on September 3 with a pinch hitting appearance, drawing a walk.  He made two starts with the Reds and finished at .300, going 3 for 10.  He connected on his first career home run on September 23 against the Dodgers.

Following the season, Phipps was removed from the Reds 40-man roster and agreed to remain in the organization on a Minor League deal with an invitation to big league spring training.  He is ticketed for Triple-A Louisville again, where he will play alongside former Dragon Billy Hamilton in the Bats outfield.  Phipps, always an exciting blend of speed, strength, and defense, was the 55th Dragons player to play in the Major Leagues, and the 13th from the fine Dayton club of 2007.  Up next:  Didi Gregorius.

Click here for Denis Phipps' Major League statistics, photos, and video highlights.

Click here for Denis Phipps' Minor League statistics.